2026 regulation year
Indiana Fishing Regulations 2026 — License Fees, Seasons, Bag Limits
Last updated
Indiana runs a single-agency regulatory system through the Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) Division of Fish & Wildlife — there is no separate saltwater authority since Indiana has no tidal coastline (Lake Michigan is the state's only large open-water 'inland sea'). IDNR requires an Indiana Fishing Licence for all anglers age 18 and older; the IDNR Trout & Salmon Stamp ($11) is required to fish for or possess trout or salmon from any Indiana water (Lake Michigan + designated inland trout streams + stocked salmon tributaries). Lake Michigan Indiana waters (a 45-mile shoreline from the Illinois state line through Hammond + East Chicago + Whiting + Gary + Burns Harbor + Portage + Ogden Dunes + Indiana Dunes National Park + Michigan City to the Michigan state line) carries the Great Lakes salmon + steelhead tier — chinook salmon + coho salmon + lake trout + brown trout + rainbow trout / steelhead — under the multi-state Great Lakes Fishery Commission joint management plan. Trail Creek + Little Calumet River + Salt Creek tributaries carry the fall + spring steelhead + chinook run. Patoka Lake (8,800 acres on the Anderson River in Dubois + Crawford + Orange Counties — IDNR's second-largest reservoir, a US Army Corps of Engineers flood-control impoundment) is a recurring Bassmaster Open Central Division venue with 15-inch minimum largemouth + striped bass (hybrid striped) + crappie + bluegill + channel catfish. Lake Monroe (10,750 acres on Salt Creek in Monroe + Brown Counties near Bloomington — the largest reservoir wholly within Indiana, USACE) is IDNR's flagship multi-species water — striped bass + largemouth + smallmouth + walleye + crappie + channel catfish. Brookville Lake (5,260 acres on the Whitewater River in Franklin + Union Counties near the Ohio boundary — USACE) supports trophy striped + hybrid striped bass + smallmouth + walleye + crappie. Salamonie Reservoir + Mississinewa Reservoir + J. Edward Roush Lake form the Wabash Valley USACE reservoir tier. Geist Reservoir (1,890 acres on Fall Creek northeast of Indianapolis — Citizens Energy water supply) + Eagle Creek Reservoir (1,300 acres west of Indianapolis — Indianapolis DPW) carry the Indianapolis metro reservoir tier. The Ohio River boundary water with Kentucky (660 river miles from the IL/KY/IN tri-state at Cairo upstream to the OH/IN line at Lawrenceburg) operates under the long-standing Ohio River Reciprocity Compact — a valid Indiana OR Kentucky fishing licence is honored on the Ohio River main stem by either state's wildlife officers (this closes the IN side of the Ohio River reciprocity already in the codebase). The Wabash River main stem boundary with Illinois (200+ miles) operates under a similar IN/IL reciprocity — either state's licence is honored on the main stem. The Tippecanoe River (228 miles, north-central Indiana) is one of the country's premier wild smallmouth bass streams. Sugar Creek (Parke + Montgomery Counties) is Indiana's most-celebrated wild smallmouth stream — 110+ miles of free-flowing rocky-bottom water through Turkey Run + Shades State Parks. The East Fork White River + West Fork White River + Wabash River + Big Blue River + Driftwood + Flatrock + Tippecanoe carry the southern + central Indiana stream smallmouth tier. The St. Joseph River (South Bend — northern Indiana) carries a Lake Michigan-strain chinook + coho + steelhead spring + fall run via the Michigan-Indiana fish ladder system. Cedar Lake + Bass Lake + Lake Maxinkuckee + Lake Wawasee (Indiana's largest natural lake at 3,065 acres) + Lake Tippecanoe + Webster Lake form the northern Indiana glacial natural-lake tier. IDNR-distinctive: 25 / day crappie statewide bag limit (one of the highest in the country, no individual count limit per species and no statewide minimum size — only Dogwood + Hardy lakes are monitored under a 9-inch crappie minimum). Black bass run a 14-inch minimum on lakes/reservoirs but a 12-to-15-inch protected slot on rivers + streams (release all bass 12–15 inches, keep no more than two over 15 inches), with a flat 12-inch minimum in the 13 Ohio-River-border counties + on the Ohio River main stem; statewide walleye minimum is zoned — 14 inches south of State Road 26, 16 inches north of SR 26.
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License fees
| Licence | Price (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Resident annual fishing | $23.00 | |
| Resident annual Trout & Salmon Stamp (add-on) | $11.00 | Required to fish for or possess trout or salmon from any Indiana water including Lake Michigan; single statewide stamp, same price for residents + non-residents |
| Resident 1-day fishing | $10.00 | Includes the Trout & Salmon Stamp |
| Resident annual hunt + fish combo | $32.00 | |
| Resident senior (64+) annual | $3.00 | Residents age 64 or older |
| Resident senior (64+) Fish-for-Life (lifetime) | $23.00 | One-time; residents age 64+; includes the Trout & Salmon Stamp |
| Resident under 18 | Free | No licence required under age 18; residents born before April 1, 1943 are also exempt |
| Resident legally blind / developmentally disabled | Free | No licence required (no proof needed while fishing) |
| Resident Disabled American Veteran (DAV) annual | $2.75 | Service-connected-disabled veterans; 10-year DAV licence $27.50; does not include the Trout & Salmon Stamp |
| Licence | Price (USD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Non-resident annual fishing | $60.00 | |
| Non-resident annual Trout & Salmon Stamp (add-on) | $11.00 | Required to fish for or possess trout or salmon from any Indiana water including Lake Michigan |
| Non-resident 7-day fishing | $35.00 | |
| Non-resident 1-day fishing | $15.00 | Includes the Trout & Salmon Stamp |
| Non-resident under 18 | Free | No licence required under age 18 |
Buy directly from Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) — Division of Fish & Wildlife. Fees may include processing surcharges at point of sale.
Top species — season, bag, size
| Species | Season | Daily bag | Size / slot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth bassCompare across states → | Year-round statewide | 5 / day combined black bass (largemouth + smallmouth + spotted) statewide; 6 / day Ohio River main stem; 3 / day Lake Michigan IN waters | Lakes/reservoirs 14 in min; rivers + streams 12–15 in protected slot (release all 12–15 in, keep ≤ 2 over 15 in); flat 12 in min in the 13 Ohio-River-border counties + Ohio River main stem; 14 in min Lake Michigan IN waters; 15 in min Patoka, 16 in min Cecil M. Harden Lake |
| Smallmouth bassCompare across states → | Year-round statewide (no statewide closed bass season) | 5 / day combined black bass (largemouth + smallmouth + spotted) statewide; 6 / day Ohio River main stem; 3 / day Lake Michigan IN waters | Lakes/reservoirs 14 in min; rivers + streams 12–15 in protected slot (release all 12–15 in, keep ≤ 2 over 15 in); flat 12 in min in the 13 Ohio-River-border counties + Ohio River main stem; 14 in min Lake Michigan IN waters; 20 in min / 1 fish Sugar Creek + Turtle Creek (trophy) |
| WalleyeCompare across states → | Year-round statewide | 6 / day combined walleye + sauger + walleye-sauger hybrid statewide | 14 in min south of State Road 26 (incl. Patoka + Monroe + Brookville); 16 in min north of SR 26 (incl. Salamonie + Mississinewa); lake-specific: Wall Lake 16 in/2 per day, Lake George 15 in, Wolf Lake 14 in |
| Crappie (black + white)Compare across states → | Year-round statewide | 25 / day combined black + white crappie statewide (one of the highest in the country) | No minimum size statewide; 9 in min only on Dogwood + Hardy lakes (monitored) |
| Chinook (king) salmonCompare across states → | Lake Michigan year-round; tributary fall run typically September – November (Trail Creek + Little Calumet + St. Joseph) | 5 / day combined salmon + trout (chinook + coho + steelhead + brown + lake trout) Lake Michigan + tributaries; no more than 3 may be lake trout | 14 in min (uniform for all salmon + trout) Lake Michigan + tributaries; Trout & Salmon Stamp REQUIRED |
| Blue catfishCompare across states → | Year-round statewide | No limit in rivers + streams; 10 / day combined catfish in lakes; only 1 blue catfish 35 in or longer / day | 13 in min in rivers + streams (incl. Ohio River); no minimum in lakes; max 1 blue catfish ≥ 35 in / day |
| Channel catfishCompare across states → | Year-round statewide | No limit in rivers + streams; 10 / day combined catfish in lakes; only 1 channel catfish 28 in or longer / day (no limit at Turtle Creek Reservoir) | 13 in min in rivers + streams (incl. Ohio River); no minimum in lakes; max 1 channel catfish ≥ 28 in / day |
| Flathead catfishCompare across states → | Year-round statewide | No limit in rivers + streams; 10 / day combined catfish in lakes; only 1 flathead catfish 35 in or longer / day | 13 in min in rivers + streams (incl. Ohio River); no minimum in lakes; max 1 flathead catfish ≥ 35 in / day |
Notable water-body special regulations
Lake Michigan — Indiana waters
Great Lakes Fishery Commission jointly managed; chinook + coho salmon + steelhead + brown trout + lake trout — 5 / day combined salmon + trout (no more than 3 lake trout); 14 in min uniform for all salmon + trout; IDNR Trout & Salmon Stamp REQUIRED; perch 15 / day, no min; black bass 14 in min + 3 / day; lake whitefish + cisco + brown bullhead
Premier Lake Michigan Indiana steelhead + chinook + coho tributary; fall chinook run September – November + spring steelhead March – April; IDNR Trout & Salmon Stamp required; flies + artificial-only on listed reach
Northern Indiana Lake Michigan steelhead + chinook + coho tributary; fall run + spring run; IDNR Trout & Salmon Stamp required
Indiana Dunes National Park area; Lake Michigan steelhead + chinook tributary; IDNR Trout & Salmon Stamp required
Northern Indiana Lake Michigan-strain salmon + steelhead via the Michigan-Indiana fish ladder system at Mishawaka + South Bend dams; spring + fall chinook + coho + steelhead; IDNR Trout & Salmon Stamp required
10,750-acre USACE Salt Creek reservoir — largest reservoir wholly within Indiana; 14 in min largemouth + smallmouth + spotted bass, 5 / day combined; walleye 14 in min (south of SR 26), 6 / day; crappie no min, 25 / day combined; striped bass + hybrid striped 18 in min, 2 / day; channel catfish + flathead + blue
Patoka Lake (Dubois / Crawford / Orange Counties)
8,800-acre USACE Anderson River reservoir — IDNR's second-largest; recurring Bassmaster Open Central Division venue; 15 in min largemouth + smallmouth + spotted bass, 5 / day combined; crappie no min, 25 / day; striped + hybrid striped 18 in min, 2 / day; walleye 14 in min (south of SR 26), 6 / day
5,260-acre USACE Whitewater River reservoir; 14 in min largemouth + smallmouth, 5 / day combined; walleye 14 in min (south of SR 26), 6 / day; striped + hybrid striped 18 in min, 2 / day; crappie no min, 25 / day; deep clear-water western IN reservoir
2,860-acre USACE Salamonie River reservoir; 14 in min largemouth + smallmouth, 5 / day combined; 16 in min walleye, 6 / day; 25 / day crappie; striper
3,210-acre USACE Mississinewa River reservoir; 14 in min largemouth, 5 / day combined; 25 / day crappie; walleye + striped + channel catfish
900-acre USACE Wabash River tributary; 14 in min largemouth, 5 / day combined; channel catfish + crappie + bluegill
1,890-acre Citizens Energy Fall Creek water supply NE of Indianapolis; 14 in min largemouth, 5 / day combined; 25 / day crappie; striped bass + hybrid striped stocked; bluegill + catfish
1,300-acre Indianapolis DPW water supply; 14 in min largemouth, 5 / day combined; 25 / day crappie; striped bass + hybrid striped stocked
780-acre natural lake near Crown Point; 14 in min largemouth, 5 / day combined; 25 / day crappie; bluegill + perch
1,400-acre natural lake; 14 in min largemouth, 5 / day combined; 25 / day crappie; bluegill + perch
3,065-acre natural lake — Indiana's largest natural lake; 14 in min largemouth + smallmouth, 5 / day combined; 25 / day crappie; bluegill + perch + walleye + lake trout (stocked carry-over)
1,864-acre natural lake — Indiana's second-largest natural lake; 14 in min largemouth + smallmouth, 5 / day combined; 25 / day crappie; bluegill + perch + walleye
Lake Tippecanoe (Kosciusko County)
868-acre deep-water natural lake — Indiana's deepest natural lake at 122 ft; smallmouth + largemouth + lake trout (stocked carry-over) + walleye; 14 in min black bass, 5 / day combined
IN/IL boundary water main stem reciprocal (either state's licence honored); black bass 12–15 in protected slot (release 12–15 in, keep ≤ 2 over 15 in), 5 / day combined; catfish 13 in min + no daily limit, only 1 blue ≥ 35 in + 1 flathead ≥ 35 in + 1 channel ≥ 28 in per day; sauger + walleye + striped bass + paddlefish snagging
IN/KY Ohio River Reciprocity Compact main stem (either state's licence honored from KY/WV line to Cairo IL); black bass 12 in min, 6 / day combined; walleye + sauger + hybrid 14 in min, 6 / day; catfish 13 in min + no daily limit, only 1 blue ≥ 35 in + 1 flathead ≥ 35 in + 1 channel ≥ 28 in per day; IN state-record blue catfish 104 lb (Cannelton Dam tailwaters, 1999); paddlefish snagging + striped bass tailwaters
Premier IN wild smallmouth stream; black bass 12–15 in protected slot (release 12–15 in, keep ≤ 2 over 15 in), 5 / day combined; freshwater drum + channel catfish + rock bass; State Nature Preserves protected
Indiana's most-celebrated wild smallmouth stream — 110+ miles free-flowing rocky-bottom through Montgomery / Parke / Boone / Clinton / Tipton Counties; rivers-and-streams special reg: 20 in min black bass (largemouth + smallmouth), 1 / day (a 20-in smallmouth is a trophy fish — functionally catch-and-release); rock bass + channel catfish; Turkey Run + Shades State Park reaches scenic + protected
Southern Indiana stream smallmouth + flathead catfish + walleye + sauger; black bass 12–15 in protected slot (release 12–15 in, keep ≤ 2 over 15 in), 5 / day combined
Central + southern IN stream smallmouth + channel catfish + crappie + walleye; black bass 12–15 in protected slot (release 12–15 in, keep ≤ 2 over 15 in), 5 / day combined
Big Blue River (Shelby / Rush County)
Central IN stream smallmouth; black bass 12–15 in protected slot (release 12–15 in, keep ≤ 2 over 15 in), 5 / day combined; Driftwood + Flatrock tributaries
Cecil M. Harden Lake (Raccoon Lake)
2,060-acre USACE Big Raccoon Creek reservoir in Parke County (also known as Raccoon Lake) — reservoir-specific 16 in min largemouth + smallmouth + spotted bass, 5 / day combined (above the IN 14 in statewide); stocked saugeye 14 in min; crappie + bluegill + channel catfish
1,540-acre Sullivan County cooling-water reservoir (PSI/Merom Station) — trophy black bass special reg: 20 in min largemouth + smallmouth, 1 / day (highest bass minimum in Indiana, tied with Sugar Creek); no bag limit on channel catfish; crappie + bluegill + redear
Kosciusko County natural lake near North Webster (Webster–Backwater chain) — special muskellunge + tiger muskellunge 44 in min, 1 / day (vs 36 in statewide; imposed 2015 to protect broodfish, shared with Backwater + Kiser lakes); largemouth + bluegill + redear; IDNR put-grow-take muskie stocking water
LaGrange County natural lake — walleye 16 in min + 2 / day (vs 14 in min / 6 day statewide); largemouth + bluegill + crappie
Steuben County natural lake near Fremont (IN/MI border lake chain) — walleye 15 in min (vs 14 in statewide); largemouth + smallmouth + bluegill + crappie
Lake County urban natural lake straddling the IN/IL line at Hammond/Whiting — walleye 14 in min; largemouth + bluegill + channel catfish; IDNR-stocked metro fishery
Steuben County natural lake — northern pike special reg: no minimum size limit, but no more than 1 northern pike longer than 30 in / day; largemouth + bluegill + walleye + crappie
Dubois County city reservoir — stocked saugeye 14 in min; largemouth + bluegill + channel catfish; southern-Indiana put-grow-take saugeye water
Putnam County reservoir near Cataract — stocked saugeye 14 in min; largemouth + bluegill + crappie + channel catfish
1,200-acre shallow marsh lake at Willow Slough Fish & Wildlife Area, Newton County — trophy black bass 18 in min, 2 / day; bluegill + redear + crappie 25 / day singly or in aggregate; channel catfish 5 / day; electric-motor + listed-gear restrictions
Tri-County Fish & Wildlife Area Lakes
Chain of managed lakes across Kosciusko / Noble / Elkhart Counties at the Tri-County FWA — trophy black bass 18 in min, 2 / day (vs 14 in / 5 statewide); bluegill + redear + crappie + channel catfish
118-acre Kendallville municipal lake, Noble County — trophy black bass 18 in min, 2 / day; bluegill + crappie + channel catfish; no-wake electric-motor recreation lake
Steuben County natural lake — trophy black bass 18 in min, 2 / day (vs 14 in / 5 statewide); bluegill + redear + crappie
Whitley / Kosciusko County natural lake — trophy black bass 18 in min, 2 / day; bluegill + crappie + channel catfish
Wells County lake — trophy black bass 18 in min, 2 / day (vs 14 in / 5 statewide); bluegill + channel catfish
365-acre LaGrange County natural lake — black bass 12–15 in protected slot, 5 / day, no more than 2 longer than 15 in (slot lakes protect the spawning size class); bluegill + crappie + redear
Reservoir in Ferdinand State Forest, Dubois County — black bass 12–15 in protected slot, 5 / day; electric-motor-only; bluegill + redear + channel catfish
Twin lakes at Buffalo Trace Park near Palmyra, Harrison County — black bass 12–15 in protected slot, 5 / day; bluegill + crappie + channel catfish
Frequently asked questions
- Do you need a fishing license to fish in Indiana?
- Yes. Indiana requires residents and non-residents alike to hold a valid fishing license, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. Buy directly from Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) — Division of Fish & Wildlife; resident and non-resident fees are listed in the tables above.
- How much is a fishing license in Indiana?
- Resident fees range from $2.75 (resident disabled american veteran (dav) annual) to $32.00 (resident annual hunt + fish combo); Non-resident fees range from $11.00 (non-resident annual trout & salmon stamp (add-on)) to $60.00 (non-resident annual fishing). The full breakdown — annual, multi-day, senior, and lifetime options — is in the license-fee tables above, and you can compare Indiana against every other state on the license-fee comparator.
- What fish can you catch in Indiana?
- Indiana anglers most commonly target Largemouth bass, Smallmouth bass, Walleye, Crappie (black + white), Chinook (king) salmon, Blue catfish, and others. Each species sets its own season, daily bag, and size or slot limit — compare them in the species table above, or open a species page for the full 2026 rule.
- When does fishing season open in Indiana?
- It depends on the species — Indiana sets a separate season for each. Warmwater fish like bass, catfish, and panfish are open year-round in most of the state, while trout, walleye, salmon, and other cold-water or migratory species have dated seasons. The season column in the table above shows each one, and Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) — Division of Fish & Wildlife can shift dates by emergency order.
- Are there special fishing rules on specific Indiana waters?
- Yes. 43 named Indiana waters carry regulations that differ from the statewide rule, including Lake Michigan — Indiana waters, Trail Creek, Little Calumet River, and 40 more. See the notable water-body special regulations above for the exact rule on each.
Official source
Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) — Division of Fish & Wildlife is the authoritative source for Indiana fishing regulations. Always verify rules before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override published booklets.
Visit official Indiana fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Indiana Department of Natural Resources's emergency-order feed — check it before any Indiana trip during the active season.